Download PDF
Horm Metab Res 1988; 20(7): 453-456
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1010858
Clinical

© Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart · New York

Ectopic ACTH Syndrome Due to Grawitz Tumor

H. Watanobe, M. Yoshioka, K. Takebe
  • Third Department of Internal Medicine, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Aomori, Japan
Further Information

Publication History

1986

1987

Publication Date:
14 March 2008 (online)

Also available at
  PDF Download  Permissions and Reprints

Summary

An extremely unusual case of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH)-producing Grawitz tumor is reported in a 56-year-old female. The clinical feature of the patient was compatible with Cushing's syndrome. The plasma levels of ACTH and cortisol were markedly elevated. At autopsy, a left renal tumor was demonstrated and its histopathological diagnosis was renal cell carcinoma (Grawitz tumor). The adrenal gland was bilaterally enlarged with diffuse hyperplasia of the fasciculate zone. The adenohypophyseal cells were atrophic and showed Crooke's degeneration. The tumor contained extremely high levels of ACTH, β-lipotropin and β-endorphin. The presence of large molecular weight forms of ACTH has also been demonstrated by a Sephadex G-50 gel filtration of the tumor extract. We authors believe that this is the first documented case of ACTH-producing Grawitz tumor in the literature.

Key-Words

Ectopic ACTH Syndrome - Grawitz Tumor

      >